an historical mystery-第31章

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begun。　She　took　the　abbe　aside；　and　after　obliging　him　to　swear　that
he　would　keep　the　secret　she　was　about　to　reveal　as　though　it　was　said
to　him　in　the　confessional；　she　showed　him　the　fragments　of　Michu's
letter；　told　him　the　contents　of　it；　and　also　the　secret　of　the
hiding…place　where　the　senator　then　was。

The　abbe　at　once　inquired　if　she　had　other　letters　from　her　husband
that　he　might　compare　the　writing。　Marthe　went　to　her　home　to　fetch
them　and　there　found　a　summons　to　appear　in　court。　By　the　time　she
returned　to　the　chateau　the　abbe　and　his　sister　had　received　a　similar
summons　on　behalf　of　the　defence。　They　were　obliged　therefore　to　start
for　Troyes　immediately。　Thus　all　the　personages　of　our　drama；　even
those　who　were　only；　as　it　were；　supernumeraries；　were　collected　on
the　spot　where　the　fate　of　the　two　families　was　about　to　be　decided。



CHAPTER　XVII

THE　TRIAL

There　are　but　few　localities　in　France　where　Law　derives　from　outward
appearance　the　dignity　which　ought　always　to　accompany　it。　Yet　it
surely　is；　after　religion　and　royalty；　the　greatest　engine　of　society。
Everywhere；　even　in　Paris；　the　meanness　of　its　surroundings；　the
wretched　arrangement　of　the　courtrooms；　their　barrenness　and　want　of
decoration　in　the　most　ornate　and　showy　nation　upon　earth　in　the
matter　of　its　public　monuments；　lessens　the　action　of　the　law's　mighty
power。　At　the　farther　end　of　some　oblong　room　may　be　seen　a　desk　with
a　green　baize　covering　raised　on　a　platform；　behind　it　sit　the　judges
on　the　commonest　of　arm…chairs。　To　the　left；　is　the　seat　of　the　public
prosecutor；　and　beside　him；　close　to　the　wall；　is　a　long　pen　filled
with　chairs　for　the　jury。　Opposite　to　the　jury　is　another　pen　with　a
bench　for　the　prisoners　and　the　gendarmes　who　guard　them。　The　clerk　of
the　court　sits　below　the　platform　at　a　table　covered　with　the　papers
of　the　case。　Before　the　imperial　changes　in　the　administration　of
justice　were　instituted；　a　commissary　of　the　government　and　the
director　of　the　jury　each　had　a　seat　and　a　table；　one　to　the　right；
the　other　to　the　left　of　the　baize…covered　desk。　Two　sheriffs　hovered
about　in　the　space　left　in　front　of　the　desk　for　the　station　of
witnesses。　Facing　the　judges　and　against　the　wall　above　the　entrance；
there　is　always　a　shabby　gallery　reserved　for　officials　and　for　women；
to　which　admittance　is　granted　only　by　the　president　of　the　court；　to
whom　the　proper　management　of　the　courtroom　belongs。　The　non…
privileged　public　are　compelled　to　stand　in　the　empty　space　between
the　door　of　the　hall　and　the　bar。　This　normal　appearance　of　all　French
law　courts　and　assize…rooms　was　that　of　the　Criminal　court　of　Troyes。

In　April；　1806；　neither　the　four　judges　nor　the　president　（or　chief…
justice）　who　made　up　the　court；　nor　the　public　prosecutor；　the
director　of　the　jury；　the　commissary　of　the　government；　nor　the
sheriffs　or　lawyers；　in　fact　no　one　except　the　gendarmes；　wore　any
robes　or　other　distinctive　sign　which　might　have　relieved　the
nakedness　of　the　surroundings　and　the　somewhat　meagre　aspect　of　the
figures。　The　crucifix　was　suppressed；　its　example　was　no　longer　held
up　before　the　eyes　of　justice　and　of　guilt。　All　was　dull　and　vulgar。
The　paraphernalia　so　necessary　to　excite　social　interest　is　perhaps　a
consolation　to　criminals。　On　this　occasion　the　eagerness　of　the　public
was　what　it　has　ever　been　and　ever　will　be　in　trials　of　this　kind；　so
long　as　France　refuses　to　recognize　that　the　admission　of　the　public
to　the　courts　involves　publicity；　and　that　the　publicity　given　to
trials　is　a　terrible　penalty　which　would　never　have　been　inflicted　had
legislators　reflected　on　it。　Customs　are　often　more　cruel　than　laws。
Customs　are　the　deeds　of　men；　but　laws　are　the　judgment　of　a　nation。
Customs　in　which　there　is　often　no　judgment　are　stronger　than　laws。

Crowds　surrounded　the　courtroom；　the　president　was　obliged　to　station
squads　of　soldiers　to　guard　the　doors。　The　audience；　standing　below
the　bar；　was　so　crowded　that　persons　suffocated。　Monsieur　de
Grandville；　defending　Michu；　Bordin；　defending　the　Simeuse　brothers；
and　a　lawyer　of　Troyes　who　appeared　for　the　d'Hauteserres；　were　in
their　seats　before　the　opening　of　the　court；　their　faces　wore　a　look
of　confidence。　When　the　prisoners　were　brought　in；　sympathetic　murmurs
were　heard　at　the　appearance　of　the　young　men；　whose　faces；　in　twenty
days'　imprisonment　and　anxiety；　had　somewhat　paled。　The　perfect
likeness　of　the　twins　excited　the　deepest　interest。　Perhaps　the
spectators　thought　that　Nature　would　exercise　some　special　protection
in　the　case　of　her　own　anomalies；　and　felt　ready　to　join　in　repairing
the　harm　done　to　them　by　destiny。　Their　noble；　simple　faces；　showing
no　signs　of　shame；　still　less　of　bravado；　touched　the　women's　hearts。
The　four　gentlemen　and　Gothard　wore　the　clothes　in　which　they　had　been
arrested；　but　Michu；　whose　coat　and　trousers　were　among　the　〃articles
of　testimony；〃　so…called；　had　put　on　his　best　clothes；a　blue
surtout；　a　brown　velvet　waistcoat　/a　la/　Robespierre；　and　a　white
cravat。　The　poor　man　paid　the　penalty　of　his　dangerous…looking　face。
When　he　cast　a　glance　of　his　yellow　eye；　so　clear　and　so　profound　upon
the　audience；　a　murmur　of　repulsion　answered　it。　The　assembly　chose　to
see　the　finger　of　God　bringing　him　to　the　dock　where　his　father…in…law
had　sacrificed　so　many　victims。　This　man；　truly　great；　looked　at　his
masters；　repressing　a　smile　of　scorn。　He　seemed　to　say　to　them；　〃I　am
injuring　your　cause。〃　Five　of　the　prisoners　exchanged　greetings　with
their　counsel。　Gothard　still　played　the　part　of　an　idiot。

After　several　challenges；　made　with　much　sagacity　by　the　defence　under
advice　of　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　who　boldly　took　a　seat　beside
Bordin　and　de　Grandville；　the　jury　were　empanelled；　the　indictment　was
read；　and　the　prisoners　were　brought　up　separately　to　be　examined。
They　answered　every　question　with　remarkable　unanimity。　After　riding
about　the　forest　all　the　morning　they　had　returned　to　Cinq…Cygne　for
breakfast　at　one　o'clock。　After　that　meal；　from　three　to　half…past
five　in　the　afternoon；　they　had　returned　to　the　forest。　That　was　the
basis　of　each　testimony；　any　variations　were　merely　individual
circumstances。　When　the　president　asked　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　why
they　had　ridden　out　so　early；　they　both　declared　that　wishing；　since
their　return；　to　buy　back　Gondreville　and　intending　to　make　an　offer
to　Malin　who　had　arrived　the　night　before；　they　had　gone　out　early
with　their　cousin　and　Michu　to　make　certain　examinations　of　the
property　on　which　to　base　their　offer。　During　that　time　the　Messieurs
d'Hauteserre；　their　cousin；　and　Gothard　had　chased　a　wolf　which　was
reported　in　the　forest　by　the　peasantry。　If　the　director　of　the　jury
had　sought　for　the　prints　of　their　horses'　feet　in　the　forest　as
carefully　as　in　the　park　of　Gondreville；　he　would　have　found　proof　of
their　presence　at　long　distances　from　the　house。

The　examination　of　the　Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　corroborated　this
testimony；　and　was　in　harmony　with　their　preliminary　dispositions。　The
necessity　of　some　reason　for　their　ride　suggested　to　each　of　them　the
excuse　of　hunting。　The　peasants　had　given　warning；　a　few　days　earlier；
of　a　wolf　in　the　forest；　and　on　that　they　had　fastened　as　a　pretext。

The　public　prosecutor；　however；　pointed　out　a　discrepancy　between　the
first　statements　of　the　Messieurs　d'Hauteserre；　in　which　they
mentioned　that　the　whole　party　hunted　together；　and　the　defence　now
made　by　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　that　their　purpose　on　that　day　was
the　valuation　of　the　forest。

Monsieur　de　Grandville　here　called　attention　to　the　fact　that　as　the
crime　was　not　committed　until　after　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　the
prosecution　had　no　ground　to　question　their　word　when　they　stated　the
manner　in　which　they　had　employed　their　morning。

The　prosecutor　replied　that　the　prisoners　had　an　interest　in
concealing　their　preparations　for　the　abduction　of　the　senator。

The　remarkable　ability　of　the　defence　was　now　felt。　Judges；　jurors；
and　audience　became　aware　that　victory　would　be　hotly　contested。
Bordin　and　Monsieur　de　Grandville　had　studied　their　ground　and
foreseen　everything。　Innocence　is　required　to　render　a　clear　and
plausible　account　of　its　actions。　The　duty　of　the　defence　is　to
present　a　consistent　and　probable　tale　in　opposition　to　an
insufficient　and　improbable　accusation。　To　counsel　who　regard　their
client　as　innocent；　an　accusation　is　false。　The　public　examination　of
the　four　gentlemen　sufficiently　explained　the　matter　in　their　favor。
So　far　all　was　well。　But　the　examination　of　Michu　was　more　serious；
there　the　real　struggle　began。　It　was　now　clear　to　every　one　why
Monsieur　de　Grandville　had　preferred　to　take　charge　of　the　servant's
defence　rather　than　that　of　his　masters。

Michu　admitted　his　threats　against　Marion；　but　denied　that　he　had　made
them　violently。　As　for　the　ambush　in　which　he　was　supposed　to　have
watched　for　his　enemy；　he　said　he　was　merely　making　his　rounds　in　his
park；　the　senator　and　Monsieur　Grevin　might　perhaps　have　been　alarmed
at　the　sight　of　his　gun　and　have　thought　his　intentions　hostile　when
they　were　really　inoffensive。　He　called　attention　to　the　fact　that　in
the　dusk　a　man　who　was　not　in　the　habit　of　hunting　might　easily　fancy
a　gun　was　pointed　at　him；　whereas；　in　point　of　fact；　it　was　held　in
his　hand　at　half…cock。　To　explain　the　condition　of　his　clothes　when
arrested；　he　said　he　had　slipped　and　fallen　in　the　breach　on　his　way
home。　〃I　could　scarcely　see　my　way；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　loose　stones
slipped　from　under　me　as　I　climbed　the　bank。〃　As　for　the　plaster　which
Gothard　was　bringing　him；　he　replied　as　he　had　done　in　all　previous
examinations；　that　he　wanted　it　to　secure　one　of　the　stone　posts　of
the　covered　way。

The　public　prosecutor　and　the　president　asked　him　to　explain　how　he
could　have　been　at　the　top　of　the　covered　way　engaged　in　mending　a
stone　post　and　at　the　same　time　in　the　breach　of　the　moat　leading　to
the　chateau；　more　especially　as　the　justice　of　peace；　the　gendarmes
and　the　forester　all　declared　they　had　heard　him　approach　them　from
the　lower　road。　To　this　Michu　replied　that　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　had
blamed　him　for　not　having　mended　the　post；which　he　was　anxious　to
have　finished　because　there　were　difficulties　about　that　road　with　the
township；and　he　had　therefore　gone　up　to　the　chateau　to　report　that
the　work　was　done。

Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　had；　in　fact；　put　up　a　fence　above　the　covered
way　to　prevent　the　township　from　taking　possession　of　it。　Michu　seeing
the　important　part　which　the　state　of　his　clothes　was　likely　to　play；
invented　this　subterfuge。　If；　in　law；　truth　is　often　like　falsehood；
falsehood　on　the　other　hand　has　a　very　great　resemblance　to　truth。　The
defence　and　the　prosecution　both　attached　much　importance　to　this
testimony；　which　became　one　of　the　leading　points　of　the　trial　on
account　of　the　vigor　of　the　defence　and　the　suspicions　of　the
prosecution。

Gothard；　instructed　no　doubt　by　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　for　up　to　that
time　he　had　only　wept　when　they　questioned　him；　admitted　that　Michu
had　told　him　to　carry　the　plaster。

〃Why　did　neither　you